Steering-gear.



J. VB. DUNLP.y STEERING GEAR.' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1912.

1,046,158. Patented Dec. 3, 1912 'citizen of the United States,

JAMES DUNLOP, 0F EVIRETT, MASSACHUSETTS.

STEERING-GEAR.'

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

Application led June 6, 1912. Serial No. 702,121.

To au whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. DUNLOP, a residing in Everett, in thecounty of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have inventedancushioning device for taking up the', shocks Vtller member extending'from the -rudder t.

due to the action of a heavy seaWaX on the rudder. V

The invention is shovvnl as embodied in the usual form of steering Uear,in which a toothed segment is connecte with a radial post,so that therudder may be turned by the action of a spur-gear, 4power driven or handoperated, as the case may be, intermeshing With said toothed segment.

In the construction shown to illustrate the invention, the radialtiller-member lconsists of a spider, and the segmental gear is directlyconnected With the' spider, and rigidly4 connected, so far as relates toany radial movement with relation to the axis of the steering post, butyieldingly connected so far as relates to a movementaround the axisv ofthe steering post.

In the I construction shown,the spider on which the segment is mountedhas three arms, each of which is' provided With engaging tongues whichare adaptedto enter sockets in the sides of the segment. 'The tongues atopposite sides are separable for the purpose of assembling the deviceand are adapted to be fastened together after insertion in the segmentsockets. By this construction, the spider and segment are solidly heldtogether, so far as relates to any displacement of one part withrelation to the other in a direction radial to the axis of the rudderpost, but the se ment is free to turn around the axis o the rudder postto an extent which is limited only by the ends `of the sockets inl whichthe tongues are held. To hold the segment normally centered, it isconnected with the'spider by means of springs which are strong enoughtotransmit the vnormal steering strain without undue lost motion, butwhich will yield and cushion the shocks due, tothe impact 0f the Waterwhen the weather is rough.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a steering segment constructed inaccordance With the invention, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section on lineof Fig. l, drawn to a larger scale.

Referring to Fig. 1, the rLudder post 1 is 'provided with a spiderhaving three arms,

2, 3 and 4, each of which is' shown as provided at its outer end with alaterally projecting tongue 5, adapted to enter a corre-y, spendingsocket 6 in a segment member 7;'

which carries a segmental gear 8. The said segment member 7 is providedwith correig eoV sponding sockets at both sides, as clearly Y shown inFig. 2, and each of the spider arms is provided with a detachableclamping member 9, provided with a tongue l0, Which' corresponds withthe tongue 5*, at the opposite side.

In the construction shown, the gear teeth 8 are formed in separatesections and adapted to be secured to the segment 7 by means of bolts12,.so that they are readily removable, if Worn. The channels in thesegment member 7 are made longer than the tongues on the spider arms, asshown in Fig. 1, so j that when the said segment is clampedin positionWith the tongues in the sockets, the segment is held solid With relationto the rudder post l, so far as relates to radial movement, but is freeto move .around the axisof the rudder post, to an extent which islimited by the length of the sockets. In order to hold the segmentv andpost together, so that athe post will be turned when the segment'ismoved, as by the pinion 13, the said se ent is connected with the spiderby means heavy springs 14:, the said springs each'being shown asconnected at one end with the-middle arm of the spider and at theopposite end with a portion of the segment 7. y

As herein shown, the springs are interposed between adjustableL plates15 at opposite ends, there being a single rod 16, pivotally connectedwith the middle spider arm, which projects through an opening in theplate 15 at the` opposite end of the spring, and is provided with anadjusting nut 1 The connection at the opposite end of the spring is madeby means of a forked member pivoted on a bolt 18, passing througha lug19 on the segment, the opposite f end of said member extending throughthe spring and being secured by adjusting nuts 20.

By the construction above described, the

.spider and segment are vfirmly held together; and the springs faresufficiently strong to cause the movement of the steering mechanism tobe transmitted to the rudder without any material lost motion, Whileshocks, due to the action of a heavy sea on the rudder are cushioned bythe springs to an extent suliici'ent to protect the 'gear teeth frombeing broken, or rapidlyworn. Furthermore, all the Wearing parts arereadily removable and replaceable; and in the case of a broken spring;it is a simple matter to lock the segment fast to the spider so that itwill be in perfect operative condition,- although deprived of thecushioning eect.

What I claim is:

1.1. The -combination with la rudder .post provided With a spider; of agear segment havin'gseparate tongue and socketconnection'sl'vvith4 eacharm of the spider; and

Aniddle thereof, and With said segment near p e ends thereof.

QigThe combination with a rudder post provided with a spider, the armsof which naveinvvardly projecting tongues; of a 'gea-red segment havinggrooves at opposite .zsides'g detachable tongue members adapted vsegmentmounted on and supported by said spider arms; yseparate connectingdevices 'A connecting the spider arms respectively wlth said segment toprevent 'radial movement and admit of a limited circumferential movementthereof relative to the airis .of the rudder post; and external springsconl necting vsaid segment at opposite 'sides ofy the middle thereof,with said spider at av ipo' t between the ends of the said segment.springs connected with said spider nearthe il n testimonywhereof, I havesigned my name to this specification in the presence of l twosubscribngwitnesses.

JAMES B. DUNLOP.

Witnesses:

M. E. CovENEY, JAS. J. MALoNnY.

